La Salle

EYEWITNESS NEWS anchor Susan Barnett is leaving CBS 3 and the CW Philly. Barnett has been at CBS since 2006, anchoring the evening newscasts since 2008. She anchored the 5, 6 and 11 p.m. broadcasts on CBS, and the 10 p.m. broadcast at the CW Philly, along with co-anchor Chris May . Her contract expired in March. "I have decided to not renew my contract with the stations at this time. I am incredibly thankful for having been a part of the CBS Philly family, but I feel that this is the right decision at this time," Barnett said in a statement yesterday.

A year ago, both Council Rock South and La Salle saw their baseball seasons end in devastating fashion. In an error-marred state-quarterfinal playoff, C.R. South yielded three runs in the bottom of the seventh and bowed to Spring-Ford, 6-5. La Salle, after jumping out to an 11-0 lead in the first 11/2 innings of a Catholic League semifinal against Neumann-Goretti, gave up 13 runs in a nightmarish sixth inning and fell, 18-13. The chance to come full circle comes on Friday, when the Golden Hawks and Explorers clash in a PIAA Class AAAA championship game set for 1 p.m. at Penn State's Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

Taylor Wootton scored 20 points to lift host Drexel to its first home win, a 72-59 pounding over City Six rival La Salle in women's basketball. Hollie Mershon added 13 points for the Dragons (5-3). Alexis Scott scored a game- and season-high 33 points for La Salle (3-8).   In another game: *  At St. Francis, Pa., Katie Kuester's 16 points led Saint Joseph's (6-4) to an 83-53 win.  

LOS ANGELES - The good doctor didn't mean to be contrary. Dr. John Giannini was not being obtuse, or ornery, or even particularly prickly the past 2 weeks, when he disputed the "Cinderella" tag affixed to his Explorers. His dispute, of course, was meant to legitimize La Salle in his own players' eyes. He's practically a sports psychologist, for goodness' sake. Don't let him mesmerize you with that soothing tone. La Salle was as Cinderella a story as any team, ever.

THE MOST pressing matter on my mind leading up to La Salle's Sweet 16 game on Thursday is how I am going to obtain a ticket. Not to the West Regional semifinal against Wichita State, but to the Flyers-Islanders matchup taking place in Philly on the same night. Let me explain. I'm a bit superstitious, and in my mind the only way for La Salle to win on Thursday, is for me to be in the building I've visited each day the Explorers have won an NCAA Tournament game this year - the Wells Fargo Center.

NEW YORK - John Giannini has insisted that the margin for error for his La Salle team in the Atlantic 10 is minuscule. In Fordham's overstuffed gym in the Bronx Saturday, he was proven right. The Explorers (18-11, 7-7 A-10) dropped a physical 67-62 decision to Fordham, surrendering 35 points and 16 rebounds to Chris Gaston, the league's leading rebounder, and 26 offensive rebounds to the Rams. The win dropped La Salle behind Dayton, which hosted UMass on Saturday night, in the Atlantic Ten standings.

La Salle men's tennis player Dale Fetterman won both of his matches on Thursday to lead the Explorers to a 6-1 home win over the University of the Sciences. Fetterman beat the Devils' Cameron Carlock, 6-0, 6-1, in singles and teamed with Thomas MacLeod to beat Carlock and Peter Micu, 8-3, in doubles. Field hockey. Catherine Bitterly and Danielle Strong (Boyertown Area) each scored to lead Ursinus to a 2-1 win over host Bryn Mawr. Volleyball. Victoria Limmina had 18 digs and Cecily Scavicchio (Garnet Valley)

Brittany Wilson hit a three-pointer with six seconds left to lift visiting La Salle to a 49-48 women's basketball victory over Lehigh Tuesday. Wilson had 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Explorers (1-3). Ebonee Jones added 10 points. Kerry Kinek tallied 17 points to lead Lehigh (1-2). In another game: Carmen Tyson-Thomas scored 23 points and Kayla Alexander added 20 as visiting Syracuse (4-0) routed Saint Joseph's, 80-39. Kelsey Berger had 10 points for the Hawks (2-2)

Who's hot Ole Miss 6-foot-7 senior Murphy Holloway scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the SEC championship win over Florida and had 10 points and nine rebounds in the 57-46 NCAA win over Wisconsin. Holloway shot 15 for 21 in the two wins. During La Salle's two NCAA tournament games, 6-8 sophomore Jerrell Wright is averaging 17 points and seven rebounds and has shot 12 for 13 from the field. Who's not Guard Nick Williams has shot just 7 for 25 in his last two games for Ole Miss.

Kevin Chartrand threw for 257 yards and four touchdowns to lead Marist College over La Salle, 41-23, in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game yesterday. Chartrand's fourth touchdown, a 55-yard pass to Jerry Giordano (93 yards), tied a school record for most touchdown passes in a game and put Marist (3-3, 3-2 MAAC) ahead by 20 points with 14 minutes, 12 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Chartrand completed 11 of 19 attempts and passed for three touchdowns in the first half to put the Red Foxes up by 21-7 at halftime.

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - As a teenager, Steve Libert was mesmerized by a teacher's stories of the brash 17th-century French explorer La Salle, who journeyed across the Great Lakes and down the Mississippi in a quest for a trade route to the Far East that he hoped would bring riches and renown. Particularly intriguing was the tale of the Griffin, a vessel that La Salle built and sailed from Niagara Falls to the shores of present-day Wisconsin before sending it back for more supplies.

THE CONFERENCE merry-go-round has slowed down long enough for the Atlantic 10 to announce the 2013-14 scheduling format. The 13 teams will compete in one division and play 16 conference games. La Salle will host newcomer George Mason and Saint Joseph's will visit GMU. Temple, remember, bolted for the Big East. All 13 schools qualify for the A-10 Tournament, which will be held March 13-16 in Brooklyn. Here are the league-schedule opponents for the two Philadelphia schools: La Salle Home Road George Mason Dayton Saint Louis Fordham Rhode Island Richmond Virginia Comm.

BILL FLEISCHMAN might have put it best: "Bobby Lyons was a genuine Philly sports guy. " Like many Philadelphia sportswriters, past and present, Bill Fleischman, longtime Daily News sports correspondent and auto-racing reporter, knew and respected Bobby Lyons as a consummate professional, yet one who never called much attention to himself. He was a sports reporter for the Associated Press and the old Evening Bulletin, author of several highly regarded books on different aspects of sports, former sports-information officer for La Salle University, head of its news bureau and operator of his own public-relations company.

HERSHEY - They all wanted a shot "with Sean. " Parents, teammates, friends, coaches, assistant coaches, anyone associated with the La Salle High lacrosse program yanked at Sean Coleman's jersey sleeves pulling him every which way Saturday afternoon at Hersheypark Stadium. Partly because Coleman was a senior, and an integral piece of La Salle's state championship lacrosse team. Partly because Coleman scored more points than any player on the field. But, mostly because he was the leader.

HERSHEY, Pa. - The bus carrying the La Salle lacrosse team slipped out of Philadelphia quietly Saturday morning. The Bad News Bears rolled across the screens, but most of the Explorers buried their heads in earphones. They left Hersheypark Stadium on a quiet bus a year ago, and it was on a quiet one they returned to avenge that defeat. La Salle dominated Conestoga, 13-4, to capture the PIAA state championship for the first time since 2009. In halting the Pioneers' three-year run as state champs, the Explorers also ended a two-game losing streak against Conestoga in the final.

As Sean Coleman worked his way through the celebration Tuesday on the field at Cumberland Valley after La Salle's semifinal victory, someone pressed a giant Hershey's chocolate bar into his hands. He didn't show any immediate interest in opening the treat. Getting back to HersheyPark Stadium for the PIAA state boys' lacrosse championship game isn't going to be satisfying enough for the Explorers when they face old foe Conestoga in the final at 2:30 p.m. Saturday (live, Pennsylvania Cable Network)

Baseball PIAA STATE CLASS AAA QUARTERFINALS Upper Moreland vs. Punxsutawney at Green Township Park, 3 Softball PIAA STATE CLASS A QUARTERFINALS Bristol vs. Northeast Bradford at Lebanon Valley College, 12:30 Boys' Lacrosse PIAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP La Salle vs. Conestoga at HersheyPark Stadium, 2:30 Girls' Lacrosse PIAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP Harriton vs. Radnor at HersheyPark Stadium, noon ...

An extra batting session after Monday's practice went a long way Tuesday for Pennridge's Mike Kacergis. Breaking out of his playoff slump, Kacergis was 3 for 3 from the cleanup spot as the Rams banged out 19 hits and rolled past defending state champion La Salle, 11-4, in a PIAA Class AAAA first-round baseball matchup at Ashburn Field in South Philly. "I was struggling a bit coming into this one," the senior catcher said. "I wanted to do what I could to make it better. I can see it helped.

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. - After a few errant shots during warm-ups scattered a crowd behind the La Salle goal, an assistant coach joked, "We wish they were more accurate, too. " Once the game began, the Explorers seemed as if they never missed. La Salle routed North Allegheny, 14-1, in the PIAA state boys' lacrosse semifinals Tuesday night at Cumberland Valley. La Salle (22-2), which has won 20 games in a row, will face three-time defending state champion Conestoga at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at HersheyPark Stadium in a repeat of last year's title game.

La Salle's Zaire Franklin, a speedy and hard-hitting junior linebacker, orally committed Sunday afternoon to play football at Syracuse. The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder chose the Orange over Temple, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Old Dominion, and Villanova, among others. "What I liked is that I got a sense from the Syracuse coaches that they needed me instead of just wanting me," Franklin said. "They made it clear how important I was to them. " Franklin visited Syracuse from Thursday to Saturday morning.